csl.thelionthewitchandthewardrobe-第18章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　
　　And　once　more　Peter　said　nothing；　for　at　that　moment　a　strange　noise　woke　the　silence　suddenly。　It　was　like　a　bugle；　but　richer。
　　
　　〃It　is　your　sister's　horn；〃　said　Aslan　to　Peter　in　a　low　voice；　so　low　as　to　be　almost　a　purr；　if　it　is　not　disrespectful　to　think　of　a　Lion　purring。
　　
　　For　a　moment　Peter　did　not　understand。　Then；　when　he　saw　all　the　other　creatures　start　forward　and　heard　Aslan　say　with　a　wave　of　his　paw；　〃Back！　Let　the　Prince　win　his　spurs；〃　he　did　understand；　and　set　off　running　as　hard　as　he　could　to　the　pavilion。　And　there　he　saw　a　dreadful　sight。
　　
　　The　Naiads　and　Dryads　were　scattering　in　every　direction。　Lucy　was　running　towards　him　as　fast　as　her　short　legs　would　carry　her　and　her　face　was　as　white　as　paper。　Then　he　saw　Susan　make　a　dash　for　a　tree；　and　swing　herself　up；　followed　by　a　huge　grey　beast。　At　first　Peter　thought　it　was　a　bear。　Then　he　saw　that　it　looked　like　an　Alsatian；　though　it　was　far　too　big　to　be　a　dog。　Then　he　realized　that　it　was　a　wolf…a　wolf　standing　on　its　hind　legs；　with　its　front　paws　against　the　tree…trunk；　snapping　and　snarling。　All　the　hair　on　its　back　stood　up　on　end。　Susan　had　not　been　able　to　get　higher　than　the　second　big　branch。　One　of　her　legs　hung　down　so　that　her　foot　was　only　an　inch　or　two　above　the　snapping　teeth。　Peter　wondered　why　she　did　not　get　higher　or　at　least　take　a　better　grip；　then　he　realized　that　she　was　just　going　to　faint　and　that　if　she　fainted　she　would　fall　off。
　　
　　Peter　did　not　feel　very　brave；　indeed；　he　felt　he　was　going　to　be　sick。　But　that　made　no　difference　to　what　he　had　to　do。　He　rushed　straight　up　to　the　monster　and　aimed　a　slash　of　his　sword　at　its　side。　That　stroke　never　reached　the　Wolf。　Quick　as　lightning　it　turned　round；　its　eyes　flaming；　and　its　mouth　wide　open　in　a　howl　of　anger。　If　it　had　not　been　so　angry　that　it　simply　had　to　howl　it　would　have　got　him　by　the　throat　at　once。　As　it　was…though　all　this　happened　too　quickly　for　Peter　to　think　at　all…he　had　just　time　to　duck　down　and　plunge　his　sword；　as　hard　as　he　could；　between　the　brute's　forelegs　into　its　heart。　Then　came　a　horrible；　confused　moment　like　something　in　a　nightmare。　He　was　tugging　and　pulling　and　the　Wolf　seemed　neither　alive　nor　dead；　and　its　bared　teeth　knocked　against　his　forehead；　and　everything　was　blood　and　heat　and　hair。　A　moment　later　he　found　that　the　monster　lay　dead　and　he　had　drawn　his　sword　out　of　it　and　was　straightening　his　back　and　rubbing　the　sweat　off　his　face　and　out　of　his　eyes。　He　felt　tired　all　over。
　　
　　Then；　after　a　bit；　Susan　came　down　the　tree。　She　and　Peter　felt　pretty　shaky　when　they　met　and　I　won't　say　there　wasn't　kissing　and　crying　on　both　sides。　But　in　Narnia　no　one　thinks　any　the　worse　of　you　for　that。
　　
　　〃Quick！　Quick！〃　shouted　the　voice　of　Aslan。　〃Centaurs！　Eagles！　I　see　another　wolf　in　the　thickets。　There…behind　you。　He　has　just　darted　away。　After　him；　all　of　you。　He　will　be　going　to　his　mistress。　Now　is　your　chance　to　find　the　Witch　and　rescue　the　fourth　Son　of　Adam。〃　And　instantly　with　a　thunder　of　hoofs　and　beating　of　wings　a　dozen　or　so　of　the　swiftest　creatures　disappeared　into　the　gathering　darkness。
　　
　　Peter；　still　out　of　breath；　turned　and　saw　Aslan　close　at　hand。
　　
　　〃You　have　forgotten　to　clean　your　sword；〃　said　Aslan。
　　
　　It　was　true。　Peter　blushed　when　he　looked　at　the　bright　blade　and　saw　it　all　smeared　with　the　Wolf's　hair　and　blood。　He　stooped　down　and　wiped　it　quite　clean　on　the　grass；　and　then　wiped　it　quite　dry　on　his　coat。
　　
　　〃Hand　it　to　me　and　kneel；　Son　of　Adam；〃　said　Aslan。　And　when　Peter　had　done　so　he　struck　him　with　the　flat　of　the　blade　and　said；　〃Rise　up；　Sir　Peter　Wolf's…Bane。　And；　whatever　happens；　never　forget　to　wipe　your　sword。〃
　　
　　Now　we　must　get　back　to　Edmund。　When　he　had　been　made　to　walk　far　further　than　he　had　ever　known　that　anybody　could　walk；　the　Witch　at　last　halted　in　a　dark　valley　all　overshadowed　with　fir　trees　and　yew　trees。　Edmund　simply　sank　down　and　lay　on　his　face　doing　nothing　at　all　and　not　even　caring　what　was　going　to　happen　next　provided　they　would　let　him　lie　still。　He　was　too　tired　even　to　notice　how　hungry　and　thirsty　he　was。　The　Witch　and　the　dwarf　were　talking　close　beside　him　in　low　tones。
　　
　　〃No；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃it　is　no　use　now；　O　Queen。　They　must　have　reached　the　Stone　Table　by　now。〃
　　
　　〃Perhaps　the　Wolf　will　smell　us　out　and　bring　us　news；〃　said　the　Witch。
　　
　　〃It　cannot　be　good　news　if　he　does；〃　said　the　dwarf。
　　
　　〃Four　thrones　in　Cair　Paravel；〃　said　the　Witch。　〃How　if　only　three　were　filled？　That　would　not　fulfil　the　prophecy。〃
　　
　　〃What　difference　would　that　make　now　that　He　is　here？〃　said　the　dwarf。　He　did　not　dare；　even　now；　to　mention　the　name　of　Aslan　to　his　mistress。
　　
　　〃He　may　not　stay　long。　And　then…we　would　fall　upon　the　three　at　Cair。〃
　　
　　〃Yet　it　might　be　better；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃to　keep　this　one〃　（here　he　kicked　Edmund）　〃for　bargaining　with。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　THIRTEEN
　　
　　DEEP　MAGIC　FROM　THE　DAWN　OF　TIME
　　
　　〃Yes！　and　have　him　rescued；〃　said　the　Witch　scornfully。
　　
　　〃Then；〃　said　the　dwarf；　〃we　had　better　do　what　we　have　to　do　at　once。〃
　　
　　〃I　would　like　to　have　it　done　on　the　Stone　Table　itself；〃　said　the　Witch。　〃That　is　the　proper　place。　That　is　where　it　has　always　been　done　before。〃
　　
　　〃It　will　be　a　long　time　now　before　the　Stone　Table　can　again　be　put　to　its　proper　use；〃　said　the　dwarf。
　　
　　〃True；〃　said　the　Witch；　and　then；　〃Well；　I　will　begin。〃
　　
　　At　that　moment　with　a　rush　and　a　snarl　a　Wolf　rushed　up　to　them。
　　
　　〃I　have　seen　them。　They　are　all　at　the　Stone　Table；　with　Him。　They　have　killed　my　captain；　Maugrim。　I　was　hidden　in　the　thickets　and　saw　it　all。　One　of　the　Sons　of　Adam　killed　him。　Fly！　Fly！〃
　　
　　〃No；〃　said　the　Witch。　〃There　need　be　no　flying。　Go　quickly。　Summon　all　our　people　to　meet　me　here　as　speedily　as　they　can。　Call　out　the　giants　and　the　werewolves　and　the　spirits　of　those　trees　who　are　on　our　side。　Call　the　Ghouls；　and　the　Boggles；　the　Ogres　and　the　Minotaurs。　Call　the　Cruels；　the　Hags；　the　Spectres；　and　the　people　of　the　Toadstools。　We　will　fight。　What？　Have　I　not　still　my　wand？　Will　not　their　ranks　turn　into　stone　even　as　they　e　on？　Be　off　quickly；　I　have　a　little　thing　to　finish　here　while　you　are　away。〃
　　
　　The　great　brute　bowed　its　head；　turned；　and　galloped　away。
　　
　　〃Now！〃　she　said；　〃we　have　no　table…let　me　see。　We　had　better　put　it　against　the　trunk　of　a　tree。〃
　　
　　Edmund　found　himself　being　roughly　forced　to　his　feet。　Then　the　dwarf　set　him　with　his　back　against　a　tree　and　bound　him　fast。　He　saw　the　Witch　take　off　her　outer　mantle。　Her　arms　were　bare　underneath　it　and　terribly　white。　Because　they　were　so　very　white　he　could　see　them；　but　he　could　not　see　much　else；　it　was　so　dark　in　this　valley　under　the　dark　trees。
　　
　　〃Prepare　the　victim；〃；　said　the　Witch。　And　the　dwarf　undid　Edmund's　collar　and　folded　back　his　shirt　at　the　neck。　Then　he　took　Edmund's　hair　and　pulled　his　head　back　so　that　he　had　to　raise　his　chin。　After　that　Edmund　heard　a　strange　noise…whizz　whizz…whizz。　For　a　moment　he　couldn't　think　what　it　was。　Then　he　realized。　It　was　the　sound　of　a　knife　being　sharpened。
　　
　　At　that　very　moment　he　heard　loud　shouts　from　every　direction…a　drumming　of　hoofs　and　a　beating　of　wings…a　scream　from　the　Witch…confusion　all　round　him。　And　then　he　found　he　was　being　untied。　Strong　arms　were　round　him　and　he　heard　big；　kind　voices　saying　things　like…
　　
　　〃Let　him　lie　down…give　him　some　wine…drink　this…steady　now…you'll　be　all　right　in　a　minute。〃
　　
　　Then　he　heard　the　voices　of　people　who　were　not　talking　to　him　but　to　one　another。　And　they　were　saying　things　like　〃Who's　got　the　Witch？〃　〃I　thought　you　had　her。〃　〃I　didn't　see　her　after　I　knocked　the　knife　out　of　her　hand…I　was　after　the　dwarf…do　you　mean　to　say　she's　escaped？〃　〃…A　chap　can't　mind　everything　at　once…what's　that？　Oh；　sorry；　it's　only　an　old　stump！〃　But　just　at　this　point　Edmund　went　off　in　a　dead　faint。
　　
　　Presently　the　centaurs　and　unicorns　and　deer　and　birds　（they　were　of　course　th